Using Drone Technology in the Fight Against Methane Emissions
/The EPA estimates that about 570 million metric tons of methane, the primary component of natural gas, are released in the atmosphere annually. About 60 percent of that comes from manmade sources, including 28 percent from oil and gas drilling, processing, and leaks.
The Environmental Defense Fund is using planes, helicopters, tower-mounted sensors, and ground-based mobile sensors to detect methane releases in the Permian Basin of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Recent measurements found that oil and gas operations were losing 3.5 percent of the natural gas they produced to escaping methane—nearly three times the rate reported by the EPA.
Oil and gas companies, industry coalitions, NGOs, and startups are all working toward solutions to reduce methane release into the atmosphere.
Industry Commitment, With Help from Policy-makers
There’s public and policy pressure on oil and gas companies to reduce methane emissions. The Texas Methane and Flaring Coalition said it will work to end routine flaring by 2030 and overall reduce methane emissions in oil and gas processing.
Big players are taking the initiatives to heart. Last month, Gretchen Watkins, the president of Shell Oil, talked with PBS about her firm stance on methane emissions, the need for regulation, and ideas for addressing the issue.
The Biden administration has its sights set on methane for ongoing climate policy shakeups. White House Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy, International Climate Envoy John Kerry, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen have all discussed policy priorities to reduce methane emissions.
With more pressure and policies, companies are turning to unmanned technology to identify and repair dangerous, emissions-producing methane leaks.
Technology: The Name of the Methane Game
Methane-detection technologies can be found from the stars to the sea floor. With sensors on drones, fixed sensors, robots, and satellites collecting data, technology is being developed and deployed to detect and mitigate methane leaks. All types of organizations are getting in the game.
Bluefield takes emissions data collected by satellites and enhances it using algorithms that can quantify leaks from millions of emitting sites around the world. It was the first to identify (article is behind a paywall) a massive plume in Florida in July 2020 and plans to launch its own satellite to identify leaks one-tenth the size of those that can be found by competing satellite companies.
BP’s venture capital arm invested $5 million in Satelytics, which uses advanced imaging technology and machine learning to monitor methane emissions and other environmental changes.
Bridger Photonics has developed a laser-based sensor that can be mounted on the underside of a small plane. The system is so sensitive it can detect even the smallest of leaks over a wide area.
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), already conducting research on emissions levels, is planning to launch its own satellite through its affiliate MethaneSAT. The satellite, slated for launch in late 2022 or early 2023, is a joint project of the EDF and partners, including Harvard University, Ball Aerospace, Cal Tech, and the Smithsonian Atmospheric Observatory.
In 2020, GHGSat launched the world’s first high-resolution satellite, capable of measuring greenhouse gas emissions from any industrial facility in the world. Last week, its satellitespicked up on methane leaks (article is behind a paywall) from at least eight natural gas pipelines and unlit flares in central Turkmenistan.
An image captured by a GHGSat satellite shows at least eight separate methane leaks in central Turkmenistan on February 1, 2021. Source: GHGSat Inc.
ExxonMobil is conducting field testing of eight methane-detection technologies, including laser-based sensors carried by light planes or helicopters, drone-mounted sensors, and satellites to detect emissions.
Jonah Energy, a Denver oil and gas company, uses drones and hand-held infrared cameras to spot escaping methane, allowing them to dispatch technicians to fix most of the leaks on the spot.
SeekOps has developed a proprietary, miniaturized methane sensor that is sensitive enough to detect gas in the parts-per-billion range and compact enough to be mounted on a lightweight drone.
Shell continues to expand its methane leak detection and repair (LDAR) program with Avitas, which relies heavily on drone and sensor technology to inspect its vast oil and gas assets.
Drones and unmanned systems have been central to the advances in identifying and reducing methane leaks. The technology has come a long way, and there are still plenty of advances (and drones) on the horizon.
Shameless Plug Alert
All of this will be covered in-depth and LIVE at our upcoming Methane Strategies Forum on April 29 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. CST EnergyNEXT and Energy Drone & Robotics Coalition join forces to bring you this very timely forum on methane strategies, technology, use cases, innovation, and best practices for energy companies to achieve their energy transition and ESG goals. Registration is coming soon. Contact us today if you’d like to get involved.
